Improved gunpowder



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ELISHA B. DoDsoN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED GUNPOWDER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 16.580, dated February 10, 1857.

To an whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELISHA B. DoDsoN, of the city of Reading, in the county-ofBerks and State of Pennsylvania, have made a new and useful discovery in the Oompoundin g and Ma 11- ufacture of Gunpowder; and I do declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, a specimen of which is herewith inclosed.

The essential nature of my discovery consists in using mineral coal as a substitute for charcoal in the composition of gunpowder and blasting-powder.

To enable others skilled in the art to make use of my discovery, I will proceed to describe it.

Take best quality white-ash anthracite coal or coke, entirely free from bituminous matter;

reduce the coal or coke, by grinding or otherwise, to fine dust; put the dust into some con-.

venient drying-place where let it remain for twelve months freely exposed to the air, when it will be fit for use; reduce nitrate of potassa and pure sulphur separately also to line dust;

What 1 claim as my discovery, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The treatment of mineral coal in the manner described preparatory to using the same as a substitute for charcoal in the manufacture of gunpowder and blasting powder, as herein substantially set forth.

E. B. DODSON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE PRINTZ, W. P. DoDsoN. 

